ECLECTIC DEPARTMENT.

"Carpere et Colligere."

ART. I. ATROPIA: ITS CHEMICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC ACTION, TOGETHER WITH EXPERIMENTS INSTITUTED TO ASCERTAIN ITS TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES.* By SAMUEL R. PERCY, M.D., Prof. of Materia Medica, Physician to Mount Sinai Hospital, etc.

Atropia is an alkaloid obtained from all parts of the belladonna-plant, but in largest quantity from the root. It has also been inappropriately called atropina, atropine, atropin, atropinum. The termination in ia designates it an alkaloid, and, to avoid confusion and the liability to mistakes, the term atropia only should be used. Vauquelin made an analysis of the juice of the belladonna, but did not succeed in isolating any alkaloid principle. Brandes, in 1819, repeated this analysis, but with no better results. The alkaloid atropia was first exhibited in 1828, nearly simultaneously, by Geiger and Hesse. In 1833, it was obtained by Mein. Geiger and Mein obtained by their method about 20 grains of nearly pure atropia from 12 ounces of freshly-dried root of two and three years' growth. Von Planty made minute chemical analyses of atropia, and found that its chemical reactions were almost identical with daturia. Schroff repeated these analyses, and also tried both alkaloids therapeutically. He says that their chemical analyses are both alike, but that daturia is nearly twice as powerful as atropia. Lübekind, in 1839, stated that he had split up atropia, and had found in it a second alkaloid which he

*An essay, for which was awarded the prize for the year 1867 and 1868 of the Alumni Association of the Medical Department of Columbia College. This article, though long, will amply reward the reader for a careful study of it.-[ED.

named belladonin, which had different chemical reactions from pure atropia. DIVISION SECOND.-Processes for Obtaining Atropia and its Salts.

Mein adopted a process for obtaining atropia which may be found in full in Journ. de Pharm., tome xx., p. 87. M. Rabourdin, an apothecary of Orleans, published, in 1850, a formula for preparing atropia by means of chloroform, which may be found in Gazette Méd. de Paris, 19 Octobre, 1850. The process adopted by the U. S. and British Pharmacopoeias may be found under their respective heads. Professor William Proctor read a papaper before the American Pharmaceutical Association upon the preparation of atropia from American belladonna-root; the process recommended by him has, with slight modifications, been adopted as the process of the U.S. Dispensatory. Professor Proctor's process may be found in the proceedings of the Am. Phar. Association. When ophthalmic surgeons first used atropia, it was their custom to order the atropia to be dissolved in a sufficient quantity of water, by aid of sulphuric acid. In almost all instances, more acid was used than was required; in fact, it was impossible to dissolve it in its proper combining proportion, and, if the alkaloid was not pure, a very great excess of sulphuric acid was used. This acid-solution was very irritating to the eyes, and it soon became obvious that some formula must be adopted to obtain a perfectly neutral sulphate. With this view, M. Maitre offered a formula for the preparation of neutral sulphate of atropia, which may be found in the Am. Jour. of Pharmacy, 1856, p. 360.

In the last edition of the "U. S. Pharmacopoeia" this. formula of M. Maitre's is followed very closely.

Both of these formulæ gives a sulphate of atropia in powder, which is much more liable to be adulterated than if in a crystallized form. M. Laneau, deeming that an agent so important in ophthalmic surgery should be of unquestioned purity, offered the following formula for its production in crystals:

"Take of crystallized atropia, 289 grains; Absolute alcohol, 800 grains. The solution is effected by agitation, in a glass capsule, aided by very gentle heat. Then weigh in a small phial, sulphuric acid, sp. gr. 1.85, 40 grains. Dilute this acid with 300 grains of anhydrous alcohol, and

add it, little by little, to the solution of atropia. To complete the saturation, the solution is stirred with a glass rod, moistened slightly with concentrated alcohol, until test-paper shows neutrality. The solution is then suffered to evaporate spontaneously. The crystallization is effected in three or four days in the summer, or five or six days in the winter. The thinner the stratum of liquid, the more quickly is the process effected. The crystals, which may be dried without destroying their form, are in colorless needles, more or less interlaced. When chloroform is used instead of alcohol, the salt is obtained in a gum-like mass. Crystallized atropia is soluble in water, weak alcohol, and absolute alcohol, but is insoluble in chloroform and ether."

Hydrochlorate and acetate of atropia may be obtained as crystalline salt; the valerianate as a thick syrupy mass. DIVISION THIRD.-Physical Properties of Atropia and of its Salts.

Atropia, as prepared by the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, is impure; but, when purified and crystallized from concentrated warm solutions, is in white, transparent, silky, prismatic crystals; when crystallized by very slow evaporation, it is in needle-like crystals. In the impure form, it is a fawn-colored powder. It is soluble in 300 parts of water at 60° F., in 3 parts of chloroform, in 25 parts of ether, and in less than 3 parts of absolute alcohol. In all these liquids, it is much more soluble hot than cold. It is without odor, but is of a very acrid bitter taste. It melts at 194° F., and the greater part of it is volatilized at 285° F. Heated for some time with potassa or soda, it is decomposed, and gives out an odor of ammonia. It has the property of left-handed circular polarization. It is of alkaline reaction, and forms crystallizable salts with sulphuric, hydrochloric and acetic acids.

The sulphate of atropia of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia is a white, semi-crystalline powder. That prepared by M. Laneau's formula is in clear white needles. Both are neutral to test-paper, very soluble in alcohol and water, but insoluble in pure ether and chloroform. A solution of atropia can soon be known by its effect in dilating the pupil of the eye.

Valerianate of atropia does not crystallize. It is a thick syrupy liquid of a fetid valerianic odor, very soluble in water and alcohol. It is readily decomposed by the

weakest mineral acid, with evolution of valerianic acid. DIVISION FOURTH.-Behavior of Atropia with Chemical Tests and Reagents.

A solution of atropia in hydrochloric acid furnishes, with

Potash, a pulverulent precipitate, if the potash solution is concentrated and in slight excess; a large excess of potash dissolves the precipitate.

Carbonate of potash produces the same result. Ammonia gives a precipitate much the same as potash, but is more readily soluble in an excess of ammonia than in potash.

Terchloride of gold gives an abundant yellow precipitate, which is soluble in an excess of hydrochloric, acetic, or sulphuric acid.

Bichloride of platinum gives a dirty-yellow precipitate. Iodine, in iodide of potassium, an immediate, copious, brown, amorphous precipitate, which slowly dissolves in a few drops of a solution of potash.

Tannic acid, a dirty-white precipitate, soluble in a strong solution of potash, and in hydrochloric acid.

Nitro-picric acid gives a sulphur-colored pulverulent precipitate.

Carbazotic acid, an abundant light-yellow precipitate, readily soluble in acids.

Bromine, in bromohydric acid, gives an immediate, copious, bright-yellow precipitate, which soon becomes a mass of twig-like crystals. If there is a deficiency of reagent used, the precipitate will dissolve, but is reproduced upon a further addition of the reagent. Concentrated nitric acid dissolves atropia without any change of color, upon heating the solution, and, after cooling, the addition of a drop of chloride of tin-solution gives a copious white deposit; without heating the tin, salt produces no change.

Peculiarities in the behavior of atropia, with various tests and reagents, may be found in Annalen der Chemie und Pharm., Bd. exxviii., pp. 273, 282; London Chem. News, May, 1864; Mayer, Am. Jour. of Pharm., 1864, p.

234.

Von Plata, in his analyses, determined that atropia and daturia were chemically identical, answering the same chemical tests and reagents. Wormley, in his later and more elaborate chemical and micro-chemical researches,

arrives at the same results. Many of the German ophthalmologists acknowledge the chemical indentity, but assert that the two alkaloids differ somewhat in their physiological and therapeutic action.

The chemical formula for atropia is:

C11 H N O, 289 At.;

C34

for sulphate of atropia:

= 6

C3 H23 N O S O1 = 829.

Mr. Scorby read a paper lately before the Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society, in which he set forth the difficulties which the toxicologist encounters in his efforts to prove a case of poisoning by belladonna. These difficulties, he thinks are obviated by the use of the micro-spectroscope. "The spectrum of the juice of the belladonna is very distinct, especially when the coloring matter has been added to a solution of carbonate of soda. A small fraction of a single berry is sufficient to produce the spectrum-bands characteristic of belladonna."

Whether this be correct or not with regard to the fresh juice of the leaf or berry of belladonna, it would still be of little value in examining the secretions of persons poisoned by that plant, and would only be serviceable providing some of the juice or berry remained in the stomach. It would be of no value in detecting poisoning by atropia.

SECTION SECOND.

DIVISION FIRST.-Physiological Action of Atropia upon

Animals.

Since the discovery of atropia, it has been used as a substitute for belladonna chiefly on account of the certainty of its action, but also because it is easier to use, and much cleaner than extract of belladonna.

As to the relative strength of atropia and belladonna Pfitzner says that one part of atropia is equal to 240 parts of extract of belladonna. Gieger says that one grain of atropia is equal to 200 of extract of belladonna, 600 grains of belladonna-plant, or 360 grains of powdered belladonna-root.

Whether used locally or generally, the effects of atropia upon the system are similar to those produced by belladonna; but it is more quickly absorbed, and produces its effects in shorter time than belladonna.

Reil says that both herbivora and carnivora are readily